How to Uninstall Blizzard Games From Your Life

It’s been months since I’ve played a Blizzard title. For me, that’s a first. Since I got hooked on Starcraft in High School, I’ve been obsessed with Blizzard games. I even ran a clan in Starcraft for years, and have fond memories of playing the Helm’s Deep used map settings with both my clan and friends from High School. Since then, I had a short-ish stint in World of Warcraft (where my friends quickly outpaced me) and have been playing Hearthstone, Heroes of the Storm, and Overwatch since launch. I was even, at one point, one of those whales that bought the $50 expansion for every Hearthstone release, single-handedly keeping the game afloat for years.

That’s all to say that while I wasn’t exactly a Blizzard fanboy, I was someone who played a lot of Blizzard games. But there comes a time in every nerd’s life where he or she just needs to move on. As such, I’ve realized that Blizzard games just aren’t for me anymore. Every expansion of Hearthstone is more repetitive than the last, and Overwatch hasn’t innovated since the supremacy of GOATS. Because of this, I felt compelled to look into how to uninstall Blizzard games, and realized that the task is a bit more obnoxious than I anticipated.

How to Uninstall Blizzard Games the Right Way

It really does take some work to get these files off your computer. It’s not just the emotional labor of uninstalling games from a beloved company that you used to obsess over every new update, it’s also actually difficult to actually physically get the files off your machine. It’s so complex, that Blizzard actually has an advanced troubleshooting guide to getting rid of the games beyond just using the Battle.net app. That being said, all you actually have to do is go to the ‘options’ cog within the Battle.net app and delete the game from there. But, more than likely, you’ll also have to go into your files and manually delete the game as well. This is because there are typically some residue files left over, such as save files, that need to be cleared out manually. If you’re ready to do that, you’ll need to make a clean break and get away from Blizzard games once and for all.

What To Do Once You’ve Learned How to Uninstall Blizzard Games

Once you’ve uninstalled, it’s time to move on. In a way, I think that’s the hardest part. You can’t just uninstall Blizzard games from your life. You’ll always have the memories of spending countless hours searching for the right Hearthstone combo, running out of minerals in Starcraft, or trying to push the payload in Overwatch when your teammates are more intersted in pretending they’re playing team deathmatch. Except for Heroes of the Storm. That one we always knew kind of sucked.

This isn’t to say that I feel betrayed by the company. I know a lot of games (rightfully) do because of their recent antics, but Blizzard, like any other company, is just a business entity. They aren’t a collection of emotions or values, even if the games acted as a conduit for myself and other games to feel that way when they were at their best. But the truth is, I haven’t enjoyed Blizzard games for some time. I no longer get any joy out of the new Hearthstone expansions, and genuinely have no interest in booting up the game. I also am just plain tired of Overwatch. As one former Overwatch pro put it, “The game itself couldn’t tug at my interest anymore, and I couldn’t become the star. The same comps, the same maps, the same strategies.”

Granted, I’m not struggling with self-harm issues or anything like that, but the game really doesn’t hold any interest for me. As much as I’ve enjoyed bounding around the map as Brigitte, or hooking it up as Roadhog, I just feel like I hit a skill wall where if I wanted to get much better I’d really have to dedicate more time to the game. And that’s just not something I — or a lot of players, it seems —am willing to do. It’s just not fun if it’s the same old thing.

Yep, it’s about that time…

All in all, I feel like I’ve learned how to enjoy video games again more and more. I’m playing more than ever —just not online. Blizzard was my last real link to online gaming with strangers. And severing my ties with Blizzard titles has also allowed me to focus more on my writing, my new marriage, and be more productive with work. Taking the time to learn how to uninstall Blizzard games has not just been good for my wallet — it’s also been good for my mental health. Instead, I can focus more on the single player experiences that I enjoy, and live my life the way I want to a bit more.

In other words, learning how to uninstall Blizzard games — both emotionally and physically, has done me a world of good. And it probably will for you too.